Norah Grace has a hard time sitting still. She's a bit like a six year old boy: every once in a while something will keep her attention for 10, 20, maybe even 30 minutes but, other than that, she's go go go. She doesn't stop.
We drove from my parents' place in Pennsylvania to Amy's parents' place in Kentucky, what's supposed to be a 13 hour drive. However, with a toddler, two dogs, a few driving rainstorms, and a GPS that's a bit rusty at giving directions, it took a bit longer. Luckily, my wonderful wife had the foresight to book a hotel for us along the way.
The Car:
(I should get paid for this part)
We came back to the US without a car, so we needed to buy one. After months of research, I was leaning toward a Kia Sorento. Now that we have a child, safety was the number one priority. There are just too many drunk drivers and texting teens. Gas mileage was also important. 2011 and newer Sorentos are some of the safest vehicles on the road and get decent gas mileage for their size. We found a 2011 model for a decent price and bought it. We love it. Not only is it roomy for the passengers, but it also holds a large amount of luggage. On top of all that, our manual shift SUV maxed out at 31 miles per gallon on the highway. It's just about the perfect road trip vehicle.
The Plan:
We would load up the cooler with drinks and stuff for sandwiches and picnic along the way, something that would allow both Norah and the dogs time to stretch their legs. The drive to the dog-friendly hotel (Ramada) would take about 9 hours including a picnic stop. The next day would take about 5 with the stop planned in. The computer and ipad were loaded up with Sesame Street musical guest youtube clips and veggie tales music videos to keep Norah busy in case she fussed.
The Reality:
Driving the first day ended up taking twelve hours. Not only did we stop for our picnic, but we also stopped about a half dozen other times for dogs who couldn't wait any longer and a toddler who needed to get out and move around and get a new diaper. On top of that, the GPS added about an hour to our drive and we had to pull off the highway twice because of torrential downpours. And the bonus: the rain took our temporary (cardboard) license plate from the back of our car and left us looking over our shoulders for the rest of the trip wondering when we were going to get pulled over. We lucked out and made it without seeing flashing lights in the rearview.
Day two was smoother and went more according to plan. The right lane was closed for more than half the time, but we managed to make it with only a few stops, including a very nice park in Elizabethtown, KY.
Norah watched her videos for the majority of the trip leaving me with veggie tales songs stuck in my head for days.
The tips:
Plan everything out beforehand but be flexible. You may have to stop before you planned on. Parks and playgrounds are always a good idea. Let those kids get some exercise. Above all, keep in mind everyone's sanity: your toddler who has to roll around when she sleeps is going to eventually have a mental breakdown in the carseat, an event that stretches the limits of sanity in everyone stuck inside the car. At times like that it's best to let her nap in the park or spend the night at a hotel. Trust me.
We drove from my parents' place in Pennsylvania to Amy's parents' place in Kentucky, what's supposed to be a 13 hour drive. However, with a toddler, two dogs, a few driving rainstorms, and a GPS that's a bit rusty at giving directions, it took a bit longer. Luckily, my wonderful wife had the foresight to book a hotel for us along the way.
The Car:
(I should get paid for this part)
We came back to the US without a car, so we needed to buy one. After months of research, I was leaning toward a Kia Sorento. Now that we have a child, safety was the number one priority. There are just too many drunk drivers and texting teens. Gas mileage was also important. 2011 and newer Sorentos are some of the safest vehicles on the road and get decent gas mileage for their size. We found a 2011 model for a decent price and bought it. We love it. Not only is it roomy for the passengers, but it also holds a large amount of luggage. On top of all that, our manual shift SUV maxed out at 31 miles per gallon on the highway. It's just about the perfect road trip vehicle.
 |
| Our new ride. |
The Plan:
We would load up the cooler with drinks and stuff for sandwiches and picnic along the way, something that would allow both Norah and the dogs time to stretch their legs. The drive to the dog-friendly hotel (Ramada) would take about 9 hours including a picnic stop. The next day would take about 5 with the stop planned in. The computer and ipad were loaded up with Sesame Street musical guest youtube clips and veggie tales music videos to keep Norah busy in case she fussed.
The Reality:
Driving the first day ended up taking twelve hours. Not only did we stop for our picnic, but we also stopped about a half dozen other times for dogs who couldn't wait any longer and a toddler who needed to get out and move around and get a new diaper. On top of that, the GPS added about an hour to our drive and we had to pull off the highway twice because of torrential downpours. And the bonus: the rain took our temporary (cardboard) license plate from the back of our car and left us looking over our shoulders for the rest of the trip wondering when we were going to get pulled over. We lucked out and made it without seeing flashing lights in the rearview.
Day two was smoother and went more according to plan. The right lane was closed for more than half the time, but we managed to make it with only a few stops, including a very nice park in Elizabethtown, KY.
 |
| Putting Norah to work walking the dogs at the park in Elizabethtown. |
Norah watched her videos for the majority of the trip leaving me with veggie tales songs stuck in my head for days.
The tips:
Plan everything out beforehand but be flexible. You may have to stop before you planned on. Parks and playgrounds are always a good idea. Let those kids get some exercise. Above all, keep in mind everyone's sanity: your toddler who has to roll around when she sleeps is going to eventually have a mental breakdown in the carseat, an event that stretches the limits of sanity in everyone stuck inside the car. At times like that it's best to let her nap in the park or spend the night at a hotel. Trust me.
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